The Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP team endured a day of highs and lows at Motegi today. Sete Gibernau was unable to step up the pace in the final qualifying session and will start tomorrow’s race from the fifth row of the grid, his worst position this season. Sete did not come to Motegi to salvage a result and is hopeful of making progress in tomorrow’s warm-up which will allow him to recover his options for the race, even though his rhythm is better than his position might suggest. Colin Edwards recovered his confidence after finding a good feeling with the new chassis which Honda gave him here in Japan. The American will start from fifth place, a position which has him dreaming of a repeat of his Donington podium.

SETE GIBERNAU

(13th, 1’48”107): “Unfortunately we continued as we were yesterday, although we improved slightly. It is the worst grid position all year although the rhythm isn’t that bad compared to the starting position. Hopefully we can find a valid solution in the warm-up and rescue the Grand Prix, although that is not what we came here for. I’ve lapped in low 48s on a race tyre, which isn’t bad, and they told me that my fastest lap was just too late. It’s a bit tight but we’ve still got the warm-up”.

COLIN EDWARDS

(5th, 1’47”821): “We began the session with the wrong front tyre but I came in quickly to change the tyre and switched back to the setting we had this morning. Now the set-up is perfect and this is the first time I have felt completely comfortable with the bike all season. I’ve got a good feeling and whenever we make a change we see the result straight away. With respect to the race, we can set a rhythm of mid 48s, which is good, and we’re starting from fifth so I’m really hopeful about this race.”

FAUSTO GRESINI

(Team manager): “Things haven’t gone well at all today. We’ve got Sete in a position where he hasn’t been all year and at this stage of the season it’s important to be in the top positions and fighting for victories. But things don’t always go as you want them to and the only thing we can do about it is try our hardest to work out where the problem is and hope it works better in the warm-up. Colin had a good session and made the most of the qualifying tyre to get on the second row, which isn’t bad. He has a pretty good race rhythm, maybe not quick enough to be in the lead group, but I hope he can stick it out and get a good result”.

LAP TIMES

1. Makoto Tamada (Jap/Honda) 1’46”673
2. John Hopkins (USA/Suzuki) + 0”557
3. Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) + 0”602
4. Max Biaggi (Ita/Honda) + 0”728
5. Colin Edwards (USA/Honda) + 1”148

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